IWC: Unbreakable 2017 Review

Opening Match: Magnum CK and Shane InYaFace vs. Jock SamsonThis was not so much a match as it was an angle involving Magnum CK joining Samson in turning heel and attacking InYaFace. It turns out that the Mega Plowers are upset about losing the flag match to Team Storm back at Caged Fury in August. InYaFace filled in for Magnum CK on that night. The storyline makes sense, rewards show-to-show viewership, and allows the Mega Plowers to experiment in a new role, so I’m generally a fan. No rating because this technically wasn’t a match, but both Samson and Magnum CK were entertaining here.

Justin Plummer announces that IWC is bringing back the High Stakes Title from 2001. The next match will be a qualifier to enter the contest to determine the first High Stakes Champion.

Match #5: Gauntlet Match: Calvin Couture vs. Chest Flexor vs. Chris LeRusso vs. Dan Hooven vs. Dennis Jackson vs. Gabriel vs. Jason Tyler vs. Jimi Jameson vs. Keith Haught vs. Nick ComorotoGauntlet matches tend to be quite long and this one was no different. The beginning portion was dominated by LeRusso, as he ran through Flexor, Tyler, Haught, and Hooven. Jackson entered and defeated LeRusso once again, leading to LeRusso hitting Jackson with a chair and causing him to get counted out. Gabriel and Comoroto, two of Punishment Martinez’s protégés had a short outing before Jameson cleaned up the scraps and won. You could clearly follow where the match was headed at all times, but there wasn’t enough interesting stuff going on to captivate the crowd. Gauntlet matches are a nice snapshot of the state of the roster at a given time, but I don’t think I’ve ever gone back to rewatch one. Jameson won in 29:58, last eliminating Comoroto. *½

Match #7: Ladder Match: Andrew Palace vs. Bulk Nasty vs. Darin Dinero vs. Dylan Bostic vs. Jack Pollock vs. Jimmy VegasThe winner would become the #1 contender for the IWC World Heavyweight Title. As expected, this was a strong main event. IWC rarely ventures into this territory anymore, which makes these matches when they do happen more special. My favorite aspect of this ladder match was that everyone tried to win when possible and the actual climbing didn’t feel artificially slow. The weapon spots were also spaced out nicely, with the big one being Nasty powerbombed from the apron through a ladder that looked brutal. There was also a nice subplot with Bostic doing whatever he could to stay away from Vegas. All of these elements came together to make for a very good main event that showcased everyone well. I’m very curious to see what Wardlow and Palace can put together come December. Palace won in 18:56 to become the #1 contender. ***½